Northern Exposure Lights up the Fourth

I grew up watching the Wonderful World of Disney with my brother, Mike, every Sunday night on NBC, and I think that is partly why I am always looking for magic. This past weekend I witnessed some true magic in Bath. I discovered music and laughter and fireworks at Waterfront Park! Most of us in the USA go to Disneyland or Disney World at least once in our lifetime. If we are blessed, we go multiple times, and each time we are enchanted in a different way. At that happy place, every day ends with a parade down Main Street, and every night begins with fireworks. In Bath, every Fourth of July weekend feels like Disney because of a nationally recognized organization called Main Street Bath. This creative group of volunteers produces a little magic for Heritage Days every year, and the entertainment comes in a wild and crazy assortment of flavors to please the most discerning participants!

Mark and Lauren at the Cosmopolitan Club's Strawberry Shortcake Festival

In Maine, the weathermen were predicting rain for the Fourth of July, but because of the luck of Bath, they were only partly right. Nevertheless, for me, the pure magic began in the rain. I was helping the women of the Cosmopolitan Club scoop strawberries on to homemade biscuits, and I was topping them off with fresh whipped cream for their Strawberry Shortcake Festival ( a hugely popular bit of magic), when I noticed the kitchen clock said three o'clock, and that was my time to go because I had convinced my family that the "must see" performance of the weekend was Rob Morrow at Waterfront Park, and his act started at three o'clock sharp. With hoods up and umbrellas in hand, my family and I jogged over to the Main Stage to see Morrow and his fellow guitarist, Carlos, singing and playing in the rain. I was surprised to see only a small crowd; however, considering the weather, the faces seemed  remarkably cheerful and very enthusiastic. I suspect we were all loyal TV fans of Northern Exposure and Numbers. It was easy to find a place to stand close to the stage. I don't think I have ever enjoyed such an excellent vantage point for viewing a concert. I could actually see that bright, Hollywood smile and those famous brown eyes that crinkle boyishly.

Rob Morrow live!

Rob Morrow today looks almost as youthful as Dr. Joel Fleischman, the newly graduated physician who arrived in Cicely, Alaska fresh out of Columbia University's medical residency program in 1990 to confront the trials and tribulations of Main Street, USA. Northern Exposure showed millions of viewers how people from very diverse backgrounds could pull together and form a strong, albeit eccentric, community. At first glance, the townspeople of Cicely seem to have little in common: the former astronaut turned radio station owner, the ex-convict disc-jockey, who served as the resident philosopher and non-denominational pastor for local weddings, and the beautiful bush pilot. Cicely was definitely populated by an entertaining crew of colorful characters! Is there a Bath connection? Truth be told, in TV land the town of Roslyn, Washington provided the backdrop for Northern Exposure, and I believe those of us who have spent time in both the Pacific Northwest and the Mid-coast of Maine can see some similarities: evergreen trees, blue water, wildlife, cold winters, and moose. In the opening titles of the show, there was a moose walking down Main Street. (For trivia buffs: the moose was named Mort and was borrowed from a herd owned by Washington State University.) All of this begs the question: Why would Rob Morrow, who also played an F.B.I. agent and protective brother in Numbers (2005 to 2010), headline an outdoor concert in Bath, Maine on the Fourth of July? Well, his wife is from Gloucester, Massachusetts, and his family probably prefers to summer in Maine as so many smart people do! Of course, this is just a wild guess.

Can you find the Northern Exposure t-shirt in this picture?

On the Fourth of July, surrounded by a rainbow of pink, blue and yellow rain jackets, there was a man and woman standing together under an umbrella, and the man was wearing a Northern Exposure t-shirt with Cicely, Alaska printed below a border of moose. Morrow noticed it between sets and used it to begin his banter about his now iconic television show. A consummate performer, he moved from music to stand up comedy without missing a beat. With a few quick jabs and a lot of wit, he proved to be the perfect choice for Bath's Main Stage. Morrow is a great story-teller, and I am a fanatical fan with good reason! According to Morrow, the infamous scene where Dr. Fleischman and a group of men run nude down Main Street in Cicely was authentic. He offered  all the extras a mere $10 to run without their protective cover ups, and as they approached the town's City Hall, they were greeted by the mayor who proceeded to press charges against Morrow. Fortunately, the studio's attorneys were very skilled and negotiated a settlement without grave consequences for the rising, young star! Morrow laughed long and hard at his own folly, and that made him all the more endearing. He also spoke lovingly of his wife and daughter, and he shared another anecdotal story. When he first met his wife, he thought her name, Debbon Ayer, was "cool" because it sounded just like the word "debonair," so when his daughter was born he kept the cool flowing and named her Tu Morrow. We all laughed together with that sweet confession; however, by far the sweetest moment of  Morrow's concert came later when a young man with Down Syndrome approached the stage and asked if they could do an Elvis song. Morrow flashed his biggest Hollywood smile and said he knew the words to Jailhouse Rock if Carlos could play it on the guitar. Carlos said yes, and the Hollywood star and the brave young man from the audience began to move like Elvis. Earlier in the show, Morrow shouted with a grin, "We've got the fireworks right here!" Well, as soon as he started singing and dancing to "Jailhouse Rock," the fireworks metaphorically exploded! It was a heart-tugging, unrehearsed moment that won Morrow our love and applause!

Rob Morrow (a.k.a. Dr. Joel Fleischman) and I

Naturally, Rob Morrow, the actor, had to promote his upcoming film, Begin Again, but he did it with great style and teased us with insider information. This soulful comedy, which pairs Keira Knightley as a young song writer and Mark Ruffalo as a disgraced record-label executive, was originally titled Can a Song Save Your Life?. Morrow plays a CEO in the film, but as an actor and a singer/guitarist, he believes most musicians would prefer the original title because it implies every songwriter's greatest hope. Ironically, Rob Morrow resembles my older son, Matthew, who is a new doctor like the main character in Northern Exposure; however, there is an obvious difference. Dr. Matthew is an easy going Midwesterner who is now practicing medicine in New York City; Dr. Fleischman was an edgy New Yorker practicing medicine in a very relaxed Alaska! My daughter, Katie, on the other hand, is a singer, and she would whole heartily agree with Rob Morrow and prefer the title Can a Song Save Your Life? for his new film. To sum up all the good parts of the concert in the park, there was something for everyone in Rob Morrow's performance. Main Street Bath played all the right notes this Fourth of July!

Dr. Matthew (a.k.a. my son) and I

P.S. Joe and I said good morning to the Fourth by 

We ran the race in Maine's Cool Little City!

running the 5 Mile Road Race at 8:15 a.m. for the second year in a row. It's our new tradition. Joe, of course, ran much faster than I, but I did manage to finish with a P.R.! Five miles in 50 minutes and 13 seconds isn't terrible for a 50 something lady, especially if you factor in the hills. God bless America, God bless Bath, and God bless the countless volunteers who make our national celebrations so memorable!